Traffic tickets can be time-consuming, costly, and annoying for anyone. People in Winston Salem often don’t fight traffic tickets since they wrongly assume they are obligated to pay the penalty. However, this is an untrue belief since paying your ticket is automatically pleading guilty.
If you have received a traffic ticket in Winston Salem, you need the help of our experienced Winston Salem traffic ticket lawyer at McIver Law Firm. We have successfully helped numerous individuals avoid license suspension, points on their driving records, or increased insurance costs associated with traffic violations.
Call us today at 336-727-9886 to schedule a consultation with our criminal defense attorneys.
What Are the Different Types of Traffic Tickets?
The following list is far from exhaustive, but it provides some guidance on the different types of traffic tickets in North Carolina and the penalties they may carry:
- Driving Without a Valid License: It means that the person isn’t carrying a valid license with them or it has expired.
- Driving with a Revoked License: It’s an offense given when a person is found driving with a license that has been revoked.
- No Registration or Expired License: It means the person has either not properly registered their vehicle in North Carolina or their license is expired.
- Careless and Reckless Driving: It’s an offense that includes all instances where the driver is driving in an imprudent manner and can lead to a revoked license.
- Speeding: It is one of the most common offenses in North Carolina and throughout the United States. It may result in a fine and adds points to your record.
- Driving While Impaired (DWI): It refers to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and carries severe punishments such as fines, loss of license, and possible jail time.
What Should I Know About Traffic Violations?
Individuals have a few options when faced with a traffic violation in North Carolina. The state makes it relatively easy to resolve the matter quickly without the need for a court appearance for many violations. It’s even possible to pay for some of the violations online.
North Carolina refers to the charges as being “waived,” but that term can be somewhat misleading. It’s worth noting that when you take this option, you are in fact admitting responsibility or pleading guilty to the offense.
If you are found guilty of a traffic violation or waive your infraction, you can face several consequences, which include:
License Suspension and Revocation
License suspension means that driving privileges have been revoked for a certain period of time. The person isn’t allowed to drive until all the requirements of the suspension have been fulfilled. The driver’s license is only reinstated after he/she re-applies for licensure.
A revocation is a more serious issue because it essentially means that driving privileges in the state have been terminated. It’s possible for driving privileges to be regained, but the process may involve further fees, a hearing, and re-applying for a driver’s license.
Substantial Court Fees and Traffic Violation Fines
Different traffic violations in North Carolina require different fees and fines if the matter is taken to court, and if your license is revoked or suspended, you will be required to pay additional fees to have it reinstated at the appropriate time.
Long-Lasting Insurance Rate Hikes
Insurance rate hikes aren’t a legal consequence, but they are still real and frustrating matters. Offenses, tickets, and points on a driver’s license can cause insurance providers to raise your rates. Auto insurance is mandatory for North Carolina drivers, so this can become a problem for some drivers.
Automobile Seizure
If your arrest meets certain specific criteria under the Governor’s DWI Initiative, your vehicle can be seized during a DWI stop in North Carolina. Your vehicle will likely be seized if you’re convicted of DWI and simultaneously driving with a revoked license from a prior impaired driving violation.
Why Do I Need a Traffic Ticket Lawyer?
Just like in any criminal case, you have the right to challenge any traffic charge or ticket, and you have the right to hire a lawyer to make your case for you. The prosecution is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you violated the law to secure a conviction.
The benefits of hiring and retaining a traffic ticket lawyer substantially outweigh the risks of not having one. Even something as seemingly trivial as speeding ticket may carry serious consequences and it can be an expensive and inconvenient hassle to deal with a traffic ticket.
Here are some of the ways our experienced traffic ticket lawyers at McIver Law Firm can help:
- Explaining Your Legal Rights and Options: Our legal team will ensure that you don’t say or do anything likely to harm your case. We will also explain the various legal options available to you and the repercussions you may face.
- Identifying Useful Evidence: Our skilled lawyers will work fast to gather police reports, traffic camera footage, and other evidence to support your case.
- Challenging Any Improper Evidence: Our legal team has the experience to recognize any circumstantial or improper evidence and take steps to suppress or challenge it.
- Handling Legal Procedures: Our legal team knows the types of documents that should be filed to fight a traffic ticket along with the legal deadlines among other requirements.
- Consulting Expert Witnesses: Our law firm has a trusted network of experts we regularly turn to for help with certain types of traffic violation cases.
- Representing You in Traffic Court: Our legal team can appear in traffic court on your behalf, saving you time and letting the court know that you are serious about asserting your innocence. Hiring a lawyer is especially helpful if you live in a different state or aren’t a resident of the area.
Shouldn’t I Just Pay the Ticket?
No.
In North Carolina, simply paying the fine is equivalent to pleading guilty, which means that you will be convicted of the offense and likely be subject to further penalties such as points on your driving license, increased insurance premiums, and fines.
If you are assigned 7 points, you could be required to attend a driver improvement clinic. Accumulating 12 points within a 3-year period, the North Carolina DMV may suspend your license for 60 days, 6 months, or even 1 year for repeated suspensions and violations.
What Happens If I Just Go to Court Alone?
You might be thinking about going to court alone and representing yourself in your case. While you certainly can, it doesn’t mean that you should. It’s always advisable to hire and retain a traffic ticket lawyer such as those at McIver Law Firm to represent you.
Fighting the traffic ticket on your own in court without being represented by an experienced lawyer can also prove challenging because you are required to follow court procedures and rules of evidence that you may not be completely familiar with, which can be detrimental to your case.
Contact Our Winston Salem Traffic Ticket Lawyers Today!
If you or a loved one has been ticketed in North Carolina, you need to obtain the assistance of an understanding and knowledgeable defense lawyer as soon as possible. Our traffic ticket lawyers at McIver Law Firm can walk you through what to expect and review all available legal options.
We serve clients in Winston Salem as well as Lewisville, NC. Call us today at 336-727-9886 to schedule a free consultation and honest assessment of your case with an experienced traffic ticket lawyer from our law firm.
